


Waiting

by orochiis



Series: Living [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, HoennChampionShipping, Mentions of Mental Illness, older may
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-13
Updated: 2015-07-13
Packaged: 2018-04-09 05:30:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4335695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orochiis/pseuds/orochiis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>May is sick of waiting by age ten, and nine more years only worsen that feeling. May-centric, HoennChampionShipping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> AN: I've never written either May or Steven before, and I hope I did them justice! A lot of people have a problem with this ship because of the age difference, but I wrote a kind of backstory to explain why May is older. I literally only wrote this because I personally love Steven Stone, but Im pretty pleased with it. This was supposed to be short- I wrote what I thought was 1k on my phone, and it turned out to be 3.5k. Oh well. Please review!

I hate waiting.

All I have ever done is wait.

When I was ten, my mother told me not to go on a journey. We were probably going to move soon, and there wasn't any point in starting a journey just to move regions after getting one badge. Johto was nice, she said, but she wanted to go back to Hoenn, where she grew up. So I agreed. I would stay in school, and wait to go on my journey in Hoenn.

It was hard. Watching most of my friends leave with new Pokémon, I felt bitter. I could just leave- my dad was a strong Pokémon Trainer; it must run in the genes. But I couldn't let my family down. I had to wait.

* * *

Aged eleven, I questioned why we were still in Johto.

"You said we were going to Hoenn."

"I did. We are, just not yet. Wait, May. Your patience has never been your best quality."

Mothers are supposed to be sympathetic. They are not supposed to point out your flaws and tell you to wait.

All she did was tell me to wait.

* * *

I learned about the Pokéathlon at twelve. It was a twenty-minute walk from my home in Goldenrod City, and every day I went to watch the athletes and their well-trained Pokémon compete in sports. There was a girl my age there at least twice a week. She often had a Bayleef with her, and sometimes a Xatu, or a Lapras, or and Aipom. One time I saw that her Bayleef had evolved, and I felt a pang of jealousy whenever I saw her Meganium crowned the Pokéathlete of the month.

I begged my mom to borrow some of her and dad's Pokémon so I could compete. She didn't have a problem with me watching the games, but I got a stern talking to when I brought up being in it myself. She told me to wait until I had my own Pokémon, and then I could do what I wanted.

My dad was more lenient. Once a month I was allowed to compete. It wasn't much, but with the three Pokémon I had borrowed from my parents, and with my ugly yellow tracksuit, I entered the Pokéathlon.

I came dead last every time, and spent the rest of the month apologising to my borrowed Pokémon. Mom's Dusclops merely rolled it's eye- it never really liked me. Dad's Vigoroth and Furret were kinder to me, and helped me train for next month's competition.

* * *

Age thirteen and a half (to be precise), my dad flew out to Hoenn. This filled my chest with hope- finally; things were set in motion for us to move regions. I was sick of Johto by this point, and I probably would've loved it had I been allowed to go on a journey myself. I complained copious amounts of times to my mother that I could've been around the region three or four times by now, but she conveniently didn't hear my evaluation of her parenting.

I watched the TV a lot that year. I learned that Team Rocket had been right under our noses for two years, making their base in Goldenrod City. The girl I admired from the Pokéathlon had taken them down, along with a mysterious red headed boy who's name I never learnt but always saw in the back of television shots.

That girl also became the Champion that year, dethroning Lance from his two-year reign. I watched as she made headlines collecting more gym badges in Kanto, and defeating the almighty Red on Mt. Silver. I couldn't help but admit that I was jealous.

* * *

My dad had a job interview when I was fourteen. He had quit his job in the trainer school in Violet City, where he enjoyed teaching eight to ten year olds about caring for Pokémon. This job interview was in Hoenn, and he had applied while giving the region a once over the year before. It was at a trainer school that was just starting up, in some city called Petalburg.

I crossed my fingers (and my toes, and any other body part I could physically cross) that he would get the job, but he returned to Johto a week later, jobless. Our family would soon be moneyless if one of my parents didn't get a job.

This year, the TV yelled about the economic climate, immigration and increased taxes, and I found myself paying a lot more attention to politics than I had ever before.

"It's because you're getting older," my mother insisted, but she knew as well as I did it was because I was bored out of my skull.

* * *

I watched the snowfall from the window the Christmas I was fifteen, trying desperately to ignore the severe lack of presents under the tree and the sparse decorations in the house. I had got one present from my parents, concealed carefully in a square box, and I prayed that it would be a Pokéball. I had tried to use the Pokémon excuse to help with the money situation. If I went out, I could win Pokémon battles and get money and I would've been more than happy to send it all back to the house if it just meant I could leave. But they didn't fall for it, sending glares and disapproving tuts my way. There was also a present from my grandparents in Kalos, where the "economic climate" they talked about on the news wasn't so bad.

I spent what seemed like an eternity waiting to open my present. I was still holding on to the hope that it would be a Pokémon, but my dreams were crushed when I opened it to see a necklace. Sure it was pretty, and sure it was probably the most expensive thing my family could afford, but I wasn't a Pokémon. I didn't complain though- that would've been rude.

* * *

I turned sixteen in the spring that year (in May, who would've guessed?) and my small family was starting to crumble. It wasn't just us- so many Johtoian families were struggling. My mother had finally got a job part time in the Global Trade Station when it opened, but that only brought in a little money.

I had abandoned any hope of going on a journey at this point. I didn't want to waste my time travelling around the region in the cold and the wet, and to camp outside with my Pokémon was the last thing in my mind after over a decade of dreaming.

My father burst in one night, late for dinner, which was unusual. We were a family that stuck to the most solid schedule imaginable, and for one member of the family to be late for dinner was simply unthinkable. But when mom and me were halfway through our mashed potatoes, he ran in, leaning against the door.

"I got a job," he panted, sheer elation clearly visible on his face.

It was a well paying job, too, in the place we'd been dreaming of for six years.

Hoenn. Even the name of it made us smile. It would be hard getting over there, but we decided that my dad would go over for a month, and with his wage, we'd go over too. A gym leader job paid well, he promised, and we would finally be okay.

My mother quit her job and we spent the next month preparing for our flight out to Hoenn. Dad called every day, telling us about the weather, the people, the Pokémon. It all sounded so exciting, but the sickness in my stomach wouldn't go away. My mom wanted me to go on a journey in Hoenn, but my lust for adventure had all but vanished. I didn't want to go around the region collecting gym badges. I just wanted to sleep- to fall asleep and never wake up.

Mom noticed my decreased energy levels and took me to the doctor a week before we left.

"She has depression," he stated simply, writing out lists of references and prescriptions for various medicines.

I certainly felt depressed, but my mother took all the blame. (And in a way, I blamed her too.) She pampered me that last week in Hoenn, as if my newly discovered illness was seriously going to affect the flight or something.

At age sixteen, four months and twenty-eight days, most Pokémon Trainers have had a Pokémon for six years, four months, and twenty-eight days. But I had nothing. I had been waiting for six years, four months and twenty-eight days, and all I had got was a mental illness. Brilliant.

* * *

We departed for Hoenn a week after my doctor's visit, stocked up on medical supplies but ignoring the list of psychiatric specialists the doctor had given us. A doctor in Johto would be of no use to us in Hoenn. No, we could find one there, if we really felt like it. And by we, I mean I could've, since my mom felt so bad about it she didn't want to mention it.

Hoenn was a lot, lot different to Johto. It was practically scorching getting of the plane, and I was glad I was wearing shorts. Mom had been wearing a coat, despite dad's warnings that it was tropical over here. Our new home was half an hour from the city dad worked in, in a quaint town called Littleroot. There were only a few houses in it, as well as a Pokémon Lab in which an esteemed professor researched (at least, that's what I had heard).

"Go introduce yourself, May," my mother commanded. After a week of lying on the sofa complaining of the heat, she was finally trying to kick me out. Supposing introductions weren't so bad, I dragged myself up, heading for the front door.

"There's a boy your age next door," Mom hinted, implying she wanted my to talk to him especially. I sighed, having decided I had no interest in talking to boys.

I went over there anyway, telling the woman who was presumably the boy's mom my name and age. She directed me upstairs, where her son was.

"The name's May," I said, sounding practically apathetic.

"Brendan!" He said. He was a lot more enthusiastic than I was, to say the least. "I can't stay for long. I have to help my dad with fieldwork," he apologised, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't let me hold you back." He left soon after, promising to talk to me again.

I stuck my head into the Pokémon Lab, deciding I needed to introduce myself to Professor Birch.

"He's out doing fieldwork," an assistant explained. Ah. So this was Brendan's dad. "You're free to wait here if you want."

There was that word again. Wait. Everything in the last month had happened so quickly, I had almost forgotten about the concept of waiting. I shook my heading, deciding that from now on I would wait for no one.

Route 101 lead out of the town, and I decided to poke around there to see if anything interesting lay on the outskirts of the town. It was trees and grass- almost the same as back home. But back home, there was no middle-aged man running around in circles, hounded by a Poochyena snapping at his heels.

"Quick!" The man yelled, panic obvious in his voice. "In the briefcase there, there are some Pokémon. Please use one to help me!"

I stared incredulously at the man. He wanted me to pick up a Pokéball and fend the wild creature off? I didn't want to, but apparently my body thought I should, because the next thing I knew I had picked up a red and white ball and released a small chick Pokémon. Panicking slightly, I commanded it to use Ember, praying to whatever was out there that this was in fact a Torchic like I thought and it did in fact know Ember. And it did, and the Poochyena fainted. Easy as that.

"Oh, thank you. Wait, you much be May!" The man said, pausing to watch his breath. "Yes, you look just like your father. I'm Professor Birch. Please, come to my lab. I must repay you for helping me."

I hastily returned the Pokémon to its capsule, following the man back to town. He entered the lab, and his assistant waved kindly at me, remembering me from before.

"Now… you and that Pokémon seem to have a deep bond already." What was he talking about? I had only just met the tiny chicken- I had no emotional attachment to it. "You can keep it. Consider it a gift from me. Both for helping me, and as a welcome present."

Nah. There was no way he was just giving me a Pokémon. I didn't want it! And what would my mother say. So, instead, I declined.

"I'm sorry, but I don't particularly want to be a trainer. I mean, I used to, but it's not for me." He seemed upset, but didn't make too much of a fuss.

* * *

When I was seventeen, I got a job. I cleaned the Pokémon lab. That Torchic, along with the other Pokémon, was gone, given out to someone probably aged ten. I enjoyed my job.

Mom took me to the doctors every now and again, and they deemed me okay. For now. I would have to stay on the meds, of course, but I could stop my regular visits to the psychiatrist.

That Christmas was the best one in a long time. There was no shortage of presents this year, and you could practically feel the Christmas spirit in the air. We ate Christmas dinner together, mom, dad, and me and celebrated like a normal family. It was the best day any of us had had in a long time

At eighteen, Brendan took me out on a date. We went to a tiny, cramped restaurant in Oldale Town, and needless to say, neither of us enjoyed ourselves. We parted ways as good friends, deciding that was better for our relationship. He told me he was waiting to find the one, and I confided all my worldly secrets to him. We waited together, for one thing or another.

A new champion was inaugurated that year. I didn't find out anything about him, since my mom feverishly switched channels any time the Pokémon League was mentioned. What I managed to gather was that he was twenty-four, and trained mainly Steel Type Pokémon. I had heard squeals from the TV any time he was on, so u assumed he had a large fan base, even though he was champion for less than a month.

One day, when I was nineteen, I wandered out onto Route 101, calmly breathing in the fresh air. I sat down near a tree, only to spring up again when I saw Professor Birch being chased by a Poochyena. It was such a familiar situation- this had happened three years ago.

"May!" He called, his breathing erratic. "There are Pokéballs in the bag!"

I made my way over, deliberating over whether to help or not. I picked up a Pokéball, turning it over and over in my hand before releasing the creature inside. A Torchic, yet again. It was a strange coincidence how in the same situation I had picked the same species of Pokémon. This one looked so much like the one before, and I couldn't help but call out for an Ember attack.

"Are you sure you don't want to keep it? I mean, May, your dad is a very talented trainer, and the way you commanded it back there makes me think that you could be too."

I stared at my trainers. Did I take the Pokémon? It was cute, I had to admit. I felt drawn to it, but I wasn't sure whether I wanted to train it. But… maybe this was my chance. Maybe I could go on a journey now.

"I'll take it," I said, surprising both Professor Birch and myself. He handed the Pokéball over to me, a wide grin on his face.

"You know, just the other day, Brendan took a Mudkip and went on a journey. Were you two talking about this?" I shook my head. I hadn't heard from him in a few days, and I assumed this was why.

I didn't have to wait any longer.

I hastily packed a bag, yelling my goodbyes to Mom, who looked almost ecstatic that I was leaving. Dashing out of the house, I began my Pokémon journey.

Sure, nineteen was a bit older than most trainers, but I didn't care. I felt alive. My Torchic skipped happily beside me, ready to battle whenever I called out for it. I was soon catching Pokémon everywhere, deciding on a Zigzagoon for my team.

We defeated Roxanne in Rustboro City with great difficulty, but the elation after getting the badge was worth it. When I left the gym, however, there was a lot of commotion, and men in write coats were yelling at red hooded individuals.

"You there! You're a trainer! Go after them! They stole the Devon Parts!"

Not knowing who they were or what the Devon Parts were, I followed the suspicious people down Route 108 and into the Rusturf Tunnel, where I battled one and won. They were from Team Magma, and they had been causing a lot of trouble in the area as of late.

As my reward, I was sent halfway across the country. First to Dewford Town, at the request of the CEO of Devon. I was to deliver the Devon Parts to a "Steven".

"He'll be in Granite Cave," Brawly informed me, after I won the gym badge from him. That made two in such a short space of time.

* * *

I took my time going round to Granite Cave, and it was sunset by the time I got there. I wandered through the cave in the dark, until I found a slightly better lit room. A man stood at the wall, gently rubbing his fingers over parts of the huge mural that covered it.

"Excuse me," I called out, attracting his attention. "Would your name be Steven?" He turned, and I almost died. He was attractive. That was my first thought, and the only thought that filled my head for the duration of my time there. He confirmed his identity, and I gave him the package. He declined it, telling me to bring it to Slateport City.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"May," I answered simply, trying to avoid saying something stupid.

"Well May, it was nice to meet you. I hope to see you and your Pokémon again some day."

And that was it. He left, and I followed shortly after.

* * *

I continued winning Gym Badges- from Mauville City and from Fallarbor Town. I had ran in to Brendan a few times, challenging him to battles and winning them all. I had also met a sickly boy named Wally, who was a little younger than me. He seemed to really look up to me, and I looked out for him on his journey.

I decided to challenge my father at the Petalburg Gym for my fifth Gym Badge. The trainers in his gym were strong, and his Retaliate move almost took out my whole team. However, my Combusken managed to stop his Slaking and his graciously gave me the Balance Badge. He seemed almost upset that I had won, but wished me well on my way.

I didn't particularly want to leave Petalburg- I was enjoying spending time with Dad. However, Wally had mentioned going to Mauville together, and since I wanted to head out to Fortree, I couldn't pass up on the offer. I left my father behind, journeying on with my Pokémon and my new friend.

He said goodbye to me almost as soon as we reached Mauville, deciding he was going to the Food Court. I wished him well, and departed myself. Checking the map, I learned that I needed to head East, and I took the exit on the right of the city to get to where I wanted to go. There was a small body of water there, and I called out my Sharpedo to carry me across it on it's back. About halfway across the pond I noticed a figure standing on the beach, eyes fixated on the sky. It took me a moment to figure out who it was, but his silver blue hair gave it away. It was Steven.

"Ah, we met in Granite Cave, didn't we? …May, was it?" I nodded, offering my hand for him to shake. He took it, shaking my hand lightly. "In this world, there are a lot of Pokémon. Do you raise a certain type of Pokémon?"

"No… I just raise whichever Pokémon take my fancy. I want Pokémon that are strong, but also look beautiful. I do take part in Contest Spectaculars, after all"

"Yes, I happened to see you in one before. Your Pokémon did very well."

"Thank you." I smiled earnestly, glad of the compliment.

"I should be on my way. I hope we meet again… oh?" As he finished his sentence, his eyes flitted up to the sky again, and suddenly a large red and white Pokémon speeded out of the sky, coming to an abrupt stop in front of us.

"Is that… a Latias?" I asked warily. Latias was a legendary Pokémon, so what was it doing out here?

"Indeed it is. Latias, do you want to take me somewhere?"

The Pokémon made a confused sort of noise, but seemed to be nodding its head. Steven boarded the Pokémon, perching precariously on it's feathered back. I readied myself to leave, but Steven held his hand out to me.

'May… come with me. I believe that Latias has sought our help." I took his hand, unsure if this was a good idea. He pulled me onto the Pokémon's back, and almost as soon as I had sat down, the Pokémon had literally zoomed into the horizon.

We ended up on a small island that Steven somehow knew was called Southern Island. Latias hovered low to the round for us to get off her back, and then was stationary. Steven suggested we explored the island- Latias wouldn't have brought us here for no reason. We found a woodland area, entering it to see what lay hidden on this mysterious island. There was a path in the clearing, and from the end I could see another Pokémon similar in shape to Latias hovering almost ten metres away from us.

"Go. I think Latios is waiting for you.' Steven urged, pushing me forward with a gentle pat on the back.

I cautiously wandered up to the bicoloured Pokémon, slowly extending my hand to gently pet it on the head. It snuggled into my hand, and I recoiled in shock. A legendary Pokémon was not supposed to be cuddling up to a trainer who was  _nine years_  late in starting her journey. But maybe that was exactly it. Latios knew that I hadn't really wanted to go on a journey. Latios knew that I was unconfident. And that was exactly why one of the Eon trio wanted to travel with me.

I tapped the Pokémon on the head with a Pokéball from my bag, and it gladly went with me. Pocketing the Pokéball, I turned back to Steven, only to see trouble walking through the clearing. Two Team Magma members, one male and one female, stood menacingly, ready to battle us.

"Ah~. We wanted Latios. We'll just have to….destroy," the girl said. She couldn't've been older than me, and when she sent out her Camperupt I knew she was as strong. Her partner sent out a Koffing. I was about to send out both Sharpedo and Linoone, but Steven stepped into position, and battled alongside me.

We won, of course, and the members of Team Magma left the island without attempting to steal Latias or Latios again.

"Hah… good work, May. We managed to protect Latios and it's Mega Stone. You performed spectacularly. Ah, wait. I should give you this." He held out a bracelet, a thick silver band with a strange looking stone set in the middle of it. "This is a Mega Bracelet. It allows your Pokémon to Mega Evolve, thus extracting more of their potential."

"I can't accept this…"

"You can. If that settles that… should we be heading back? Latias is waiting for us."

We flew back to Route 118, where we finally said goodbye, Steven flying away on his Skarmory. I watched him go until I couldn't see him anymore, and I was left simply staring at the sky.

* * *

I travelled on to Fortree City, with every intention of winning the gym badge there. I trained a little on the outskirts of the city, catching myself an Absol as the final member of my team. They were shaping up nicely, and with the recent addition of Latias, I was sure to win any battle. I went to the Fortree Gym, ready to challenge it's gym leader, when I had to stop, forced backward by an invisible force. I tried again, only to be pushed back again.

I left the city in a rage, hoping to calm my nerves on Route 120. I sat on the edge of a rickety bridge, dangling my feet off the edge. The sky was reflected in the water below, and I enjoyed watching the cloud pass by in such an unusual manner. Of course, I also saw a face reflected in the water that wasn't my own, and a person almost a foot taller than me sat down, swinging his legs over the edge of the bridge.

"I thought it was you, May. How is your journey going? Have you been using your Mega Bracelet wisely?"

"It's going well. I've managed to Mega Evolve Latios many times. As for the rest of my Pokémon, I've had no luck."

"It'll come. When you find the Mega Stones, you'll have no problem Mega Evolving your Pokémon. By the way, how old are you, May? You seem a little older than the Pokémon Trainers I have seen at this stage on their journey."

"I'm nineteen," I laughed, tying my fingers in knots on my knees. "We moved from Johto when I was sixteen, and… I was sick. So I didn't want to go on my journey. And I only left a few months ago. Before that, I couldn't wait to go on my journey. But… well, it is what it is."

"I myself started my journey a little late. I started at twelve, because my father insisted I stay in school. I am now twenty-five, so I have been a trainer for a little over thirteen years. Time really does fly. I bet you will have defeated the Champion and will be back home before you know it."

"Probably." Twelve was only two years more than normal. Nine years was a lot different, but I supposed that Pokémon training didn't really have a deadline.

"Hey. Have you noticed? Over there, there is a Pokémon. It's hidden, like an invisible obstacle. Use these… ah it's called the Devon Scope. Put it on. I'm sure it will fit."

I strapped the strange contraption over my head, placing the goggle part over my eyes. Immediately, the obstacle became obvious, and I could see what it was.

"A Kecleon!"

"Correct. I'm sure it will leave you alone, but now it knows you're here. And you know it's there. I'm sure this device will be more useful to you than to me, so you may keep it."

"You really need to stop giving me stuff for free, Steven."

"Nonsense. It's all stuff that will be of more benefit to you than me. And on that topic…" He fished in his pocket, retrieving a red stone.

"You train a Combusken, correct?" I nodded. "Well, when it evolves, give it this to hold. It will allow it to Mega Evolve."

"Really?" I sighed, excited at the prospect of my first Pokémon being capable of Mega Evolution. "Thank you!"

"No problem. This stone ranks as one of my top five favourite stones in existence. I have no doubt that your Pokémon will like it, too. You know, May… I like to see trainers and Pokémon who are trying their best. That's why I like you so much."

He stared into the water as I put the stone away, getting up slowly from our seated position on the bridge. I jumped up afterwards, standing opposite to him.

"It was nice talking with you, may. Let's meet again someday." He turned slowly, giving me his two-fingered wave as he departed. I headed back into Fortree City, ready to tackle the Gym and the obstacle blocking my way.

* * *

I somehow managed to decommission the Team Magma Hideout only two weeks after that, felling rather proud of myself for managing that all on my own. I spent about a month in Lilycove City, deciding that relaxing was probably the best thing for me at this point. I battled with Brendan, who had come to Lilycove to check out the Department Store. I used my newly evolved Blaziken during this battle, trying out the Blazikenite Steven had given me. Blaziken was a lot more powerful while holding this stone, and it was no surprise that I managed to win the battle with ease.

Brendan and I relaxed on the roof of the department store, lemonade bought from the vending machines in hand. We caught up, discussing life in general and how we were getting on. Brendan hadn't been challenging many gyms, leaning more toward the Pokémon Breeding aspect of training. He had been helping his dad with a lot of fieldwork, and had acquired some cool Pokémon in the process.

I Surfed out to Mossdeep City on Sharpedo, training a lot against Swimmers and Ace Trainers who were similarly training in the Area. I hoped to get the Mossdeep Gym Badge soon, and then the Sootopolis one, and then challenge the league. Simple. Like Steven had said, I would be home before I knew it.

I used Mega Absol and Sharpedo in the battle against Tate and Liza, easily beating their Pokémon in a quickly resolved Double Battle. They seemed like really lovely people, and I looked forward to meeting them again. As I left the gym, there was some sort of Earthquake, and the gym leaders came rushing out after me. A pillar of light shot through the ocean, bursting into the sky with a loud explosion. A group of people had instinctively gathered around the gym, including a familiar travelling trainer.

"May! I was hoping to catch you while you were in the area, but under these circumstances… please come to my place. We need to talk."

The 'talk' was a lot less romantic than I had hoped, consisting mainly of Steven informing me of what had been going on. He told me the legend of Groudon and Kyogre, and I found out that the former was lying asleep at the bottom of the ocean. Someone- he had his bets on Team Magma- had broken the seal keeping it encased in the Seafloor Cavern, and had intentions of waking it up.

"You have to go. If they harness Groudon's power, the planet will be in crisis, and we may not survive for very long. I implore you. It is my duty to do everything in my power to stop this creature, but I will not be able to do it myself. That's why I need your help, May."

I agreed to help him, and he entrusted me with the HM for Dive, which I Immediately taught to Sharpedo. Travelling down to the area where I had seen the pillar of light, I noted the rise in temperatures, and the shallowing of the sea. Sharpedo struggled in some of these areas, and I had to get off and walk.

I found the Seafloor Cavern with ease, and challenged Maxie, whom I found at the end, to a battle. Even though I had won, he still insisted on awakening Groudon, and I had ultimately failed. They had been waiting for this for years; of course no teenager was going to stop them. However, they had a problem. Groudon's power was a lot more than they had originally estimated, and Maxie himself feared what would happen if they let the Pokémon roam free.

I travelled to Sootopolis much sooner than I had intended, meeting up again with Steven and that city's Gym Leader, Wallace. They granted me access to the Cave of Origin, where I went in as May, the nineteen year old who started her journey nearly a decade late, and came out as the Hero of Hoenn. Brendan was there, wishing me luck as I ventured into the cave to confront Groudon. And I came back with an Ultra Ball in my hand, having successfully captured the creature.

* * *

The next three weeks went by in a flash. At the start of that period, I had seven gym badges. I won a further eighth from Wallace, thus allowing me to challenge the Pokémon League. I was worried about this, but trained hard in Victory Road and across Hoenn until I felt ready. And when I was ready, I stocked up on Potions and Revives and stepped across that threshold.

The Elite Four were hard to beat, but my Pokémon survived with only injuries, and I healed them up before entering the Champion's room. I was ready, they were ready, and we faced our toughest challenge yet.

"Welcome, May. I had hoped we would meet here one day."

What.

_What?_

In all the time I had known Steven, he had never once mentioned that he was the champion of Hoenn. Maybe he just presumed I knew, and deemed it not an important topic to bring up. However, I had mentally and physically prepared myself for this challenge, and was not about to let Steven stand in my way of becoming the Hoenn Champion. I sent out Linoone, and readied myself for battle.

It was news to me that he used Steel Type Pokémon, and so I relied heavily on Sharpedo and Blaziken to carry me through the battle. I used Roserade for his Rock Type Pokémon; the Bouquet Pokémon destroying the Pokémon in a single hit each. Steven's Metagross was more of a problem. He Mega Evolved it (I should've seen this coming, to be fair), and I activated my starter's Blazikenite, allowing it to do this same. This left us on equal footing, and I managed to finally defeat him with an Overheat Attack.

"Just as I have come to expect, May, you truly are an excellent trainer," he mused, returning his Pokémon to its Pokéball. "Congratulations. You are the newest Hoenn League Champion!"

He took me through to the Hall of Fame, and I stood awed by the décor. It was painted gold as far as the eye could see, with a device at the far wall akin to those used in Pokemon Centres. I placed my Pokeballs in the holders, allowing the computer time to scan them in.

"You did well. I'm not at all surprised to see that you've got this far," Steven said, taking my hand in his own. I had a feeling that this wasn't part of his official speech. On a whim, I stood on my tiptoes, pressing my lips against his. Retracting after a second, I stared at the floor.

"Thank you for helping on my journey. I wouldn't have gotten here without you." I lifted my head, giving him the most genuine smile I had given anyone in three years.

"May, you did this all on your own." The machine pinged, indicating it was done, but Steven ignored it, pressing on with what he was saying. "You are such a strong trainer, and an asset to the Hoenn Region. And… you might have captured the heart of the Nation, but you have a very special place in mine." He smiled at his shoes for a millisecond, before leaning down and kissing me. I was shocked to say the least. He didn't comment on my move before, and I had assumed he had forgotten about it until he did  _this_. And it was wonderful; everything I had imagined. I didn't have to wait any longer. I was the Hoenn League Champion, like I had dreamed, and Steven Stone, former Champion and general dreamboat, was in love with me.

* * *

A lot of time passed between this moment and me speaking to Steven again. There were a lot of things to sort out, such as my strained relationship with my mother. There was also an incident involving Rayquaza, Deoxys, and some mad former Team Magma employee called Zinnia. I battled with Steven during this time, but we had little time for personal conversations.

I travelled out to Mossdeep after everything had settled down, knocking on his door. There was no answer, but upon looking through the window, I saw a Pokéball lying on the table with a short note attached to it. I opened the door, picking up the ball and reading the note.

_Dear May,_

_I have something in mind, so I will be away in training for some time. I do not expect to return to my home anytime soon. Which brings me to a request. I want you to take the Poké Ball that you should find on my desk. The Beldum inside is one of my favourite Pokémon, so I hope you'll treat it like one of your own. Trusting we will meet again,_

_Steven Stone_

So he had left. And left me waiting for him in Hoenn. I skimmed over the note, anger rising inside my chest. How dare he leave me here, after all that in the Hall of Fame? Reading the note for a third time, my eyes settled on the last line.  _Trusting we meet again._ Trusting. So he trusted me.

And then I realised that I didn't have to wait for him. What was I, some princess? No, I was no damsel in distress. I could go after him. He didn't specify where he was going, but I could find him, no problem.

My days of waiting are over.

 


End file.
